Transport-storage latch



A g- 8, 9 H. v. BURESH TRANSPORT-STORAGE LATCH Filed Oct. 11, 1965 4H EJ272107"; @Q

1 1 3 M j H w w- 4 H .2 I 2 7 a 1 0 1 $0 1 United States Patent 3,334,932 TRANSPORT-STORAGE LATCH Henry V. Buresh, Brookfield, Ill., assignor to International Harvester Company, Chicago, 11]., a corporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 11, 1965, Ser. No. 494,579 4 Claims. (Cl. 29287) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A flutter-type ventilating and protective cap for the vertical exhaust pipe or stack of an internal combustion engine wherein the cap is pivotally mounted and counterweighted to customarily close off the pipe against the admission of extraneous matter thereinto but operable by exhaust pressure to permit exhaust of gases from the pipe and including a manually operable resilient latch for retaining the cap closed when the associated engine is inoperative.

This invention relates to exhaust stack or Ventilating caps for internal combustion engines or the like, but more particularly it is concerned with the flutter-type rain cap frequently supplied for the vertical exhaust pipe of internal combustion engines employed with agricultural or road working vehicles such as tractors.

In the modern agricultural and road working tractor vehicles the exhaust from its internal combustion engine is generally discharged to the atmosphere through a vertically disposed mufiier stack or ventilating pipe assembly. Since vehicles with engines of this type are customarily worked out doors and frequently stored out of use exposed to the weather elements it has been a common practice to provide flutter-type caps for such pipes so as to prevent rainfall from entering the stack and to keep snow out of the pipe in the winter time, as well as to limit the ingress or admission thereinto of sand, dust and other objectionable debris all of any of which could cause considerable damage to the engine of the vehicle. The cap most usually employed for such purpose, and which is commonly called a flutter cap, comprises a cover element hingedly mounted on the end of the stack and counterweighted so that normally when the associated engine is inoperative the counter weight thereof positions the cap in a closing relation over the end of the pipe or stack and thus serves to keep out the undesirable elements, but when the engine is operating the pressure of the exhausting gas is suflicient to open the cap against the reaction of the counterweight thereof and thereby permit discharge of the exhaust gases to the atmosphere. This type cap, of course, is equally applicable for use with engines functioning as power plants which are frequently employed exposed to the weather elements but are not.

necessarily incorporated in vehicles.

Although this type of cap has found a ready and universal acceptance in the industry it is not entirely satisfactory because during wind storms and while the vehicle is in transport such as on a railroad car or otherwise the cap has a tendency to flop open and thus does not provide the protection to the engine intended therefor. Furthermore, such caps have been known to blow open and remain open either by freezing or otherwise thereby permitting the exhaust pipe to fill up with snow and ice and other debris when the vehicle is in open storage with considerable resultant damage to the engine.

It is a primary object, therefore, of this invention to provide an improved internal combustion engine ventilation or exhaust pipe cap whereby the protection provided for vertical exhaust pipes or stacks of such engines against the entrance thereinto of objectionable matter is greatly enhanced.

Another object is to provide a simple, inexpensive to fabricate and install, and manually actuated latching means adapted for application to flutter-type vehicle engine exhaust caps whereby the cap may be latched closed during storage or transport of an associated vehicle.

A further object is to provide a flutter-type engine exhaust pipe cap with a resilient latching means which is arranged so that ordinarily the flutter operation or opening thereof is not impaired with the engine operating, but which may be manually latched to retain said cap in a closed position over the open end of the exhaust pipe when the engine is inoperative.

The foregoing and other objects and features of the invention will become apparent as the disclosure is more fully made in the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying sheets of drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of an engine exhaust or ventilating cap equipped with the latching means of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the cap shown in the preceding figure and including a portion of an attached engine exhaust stack;

FIGURE 3 is an end elevational view with portions thereof in section and taken generally along line 33 of FIGURE 2 of the proposed engine exhaust stack cap; and

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the spring latching means proposed for application to the engine exhaust pipe cap according to the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings it will be seen that a conventional vertically disposed exhaust pipe or stack 10 extends upwardly from an internal combustion engine, not shown, and a cap assembly, indicated in its entirety by the numeral 11, is positioned over the upper open end of said stack. A clamping bracket for mounting the cap on the stack is fashioned from a tensioning band or strap element 12 which wraps around the stack a short distance inwardly from the end of the stack and a bolt 13 having a nut 14 threaded on the end thereof is fixedly positioned in aligned openings in the outwardly turned opposite end portions 12a, 12a of the clamp or band 12 and pulled up tight so as to fixedly position the band as a clamp on the stack. A journalling stud or shaft 15 is mounted for journalling by the pins 16, 16 in the opposite end portions 12a, 12a of clamp 12. The cover or cap member includes a circularly shaped portion 17 dimensioned with a diameter such that the peripheral edge 18 thereof overlaps the end of the stack 10 and thus completely covers the stack outlet. A bracket 19 has a generally triangularlyshaped portion 20 at one end thereof that is afiixed to the circular cover portion 17 by suitable means such as the rivets 21 although spot welding or other suitable securing means may be used without deviating from any teachings hereof. The opposite ends of bracket 19 includes spaced apart arms 22, 22 which act at a counterweight and which may be suitably secured to the journalling stud 15 for pivotal movement therewith. Thus it will be seen that the cap member 17 freely pivots about the pins 16, 16 and with the engine inoperative, and by virtue of the counterweight provided by arms 22, 22, said cap will normally be disposed in a closed position over the open end of the exhaust pipe or stack 10, but when the engine is operating the cap is free to be opened by the pressure of the exhaust gases in the pipe, hence the term flutter cap.

Now in accordance with the more specific teachings of this invention there is provided a latching member 23 which may be affixed by spot welds, such as shown at 24, or other suitable securing means to one of the arms 22. The latch 23 which, preferably, is fashioned from some suitable resilient material such as spring steel is shaped in cross section to resemble generally the letter I with a turned over hook portion 25 that is adapted for hooking over the lower edge 26 of one of the converging end portions 12a, 12a of mounting band 12. A first bend along the line 28 of spring member 23 is provided to project said member outwardly away from its supporting arm 22. A second bend along the line 29 is provided to conform the hook portion 25 of spring latch 23 into alignment with the converging end portion 12:! of mounting band 12 with which it cooperates to provide a latching means for the cap. The spring latch 23 is dimensioned and conformed so that normally the counterweighted arms 22, 22 are adequate for closing the circular cap member 17 over the end of pipe while the lip edge 30 of the hook portion 25 of spring 23 presses and slides against the inner surface of the respective converging band end portion 12a without hooking itself over the bottom edge 26 thereof. In order for the hook 25 of spring 23 to latch over the clamp mounting bracket it is necessary to manually press down after the cover is closed on the lip edge 30 of said hook portion with a suitable tool such as a fingernail until the 'hook has cleared the bottom edge 26 of bracket end portion 12a whereupon when released the outward reaction of said spring will force the hook to lock itself around the bottom edge 26 of said bracket end portion. As thus hooked or latched the cover will remain closed against the normal effects of wind pressure and other vibrations that might ordinarily tend to flop the cap open. By so latching the cap when the vehicle is out of use the engine is protected against the ravages of the weather elements and thus engine life may be considerably extended. To release the latch spring 23 a slight downward pressure on the lip edge 30 of the hook portion 25 will permit it to return to sliding engagement with the inner surface of the member 12a and thus the cap is returned to normal operation.

From the above it will be readily appreciated that a simple, novel and inexpensive exhaust or ventilating pipe cap latching means has been shown and described, and it is to be understood that changes may be made in the construction without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope thereof as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In an engine exhaust pipe fitting for a vertical exhaust pipe; clamp means mounted on the exhaust pipe proximate an open end thereof; a cover member positioned over the open end of the exhaust pipe; bracket means pivotally mounting said cover member for pivotal movement about said clamp means and including arms having portions depending below said pivotal mounting providing counterweights for normally urging said cover member to a closed position over the open end of the exhaust pipe; said counterweights being proportioned so as to permit the pressure of exhaust gases in said exhaust pipe to open said cover member for discharge of the gases into the atmosphere when an engine associated therewith is operative; a resilient member mounted on said arms adjacent the pivotal mounting thereof and extending downwardly therefrom; said resilient member having a hook portion on the lower end thereof normally urged into sliding engagement with said clamp means but being manually positionable when said cover is closed over the end of the exhaust pipe for hooking over said clamp means to thereby retain said cover in a closed position over the end of the exhaust pipe.

2. In an engine exhaust pipe fitting for a vertical exhaust pipe; clamp means mounted on the exhaust pipe proximate an open end thereof; a cover member positioned over the open end of the exhaust pipe; bracket means pivotally mounting said cover member for pivotal movement about said clamp means and including arms having portions depending below said pivotal mounting providing counterweights for normally urging said cover member to a closed position over the open end of the exhaust pipe; said counterweights being proportioned so as to permit the pressure of exhaust gases in said exhaust pipe to open said cover member for discharge of the gases into the atmosphere when an engine associated therewith is operative; resilient latching means cooperative between said arms and said clamp means at a point proximate the pivotal mounting of the arms and including a resilient member having an afiixing portion and a hook-like latching portion and manually operative when said cover member is closed over the end of the exhaust pipe for latching said arms and said clamp means together whereby said cover member is retained in close fitting relation over the end of the exhaust pipe.

3. In an engine exhaust pipe fitting for a vertical exhaust pipe; clamp means mounted on the exhaust pipe proximate an open end thereof; a cover member positioned over the open end of the exhaust pipe; bracket means pivotally mounting said cover member for pivotal movement about said clamp means and including arms having portions depending below said pivotal mounting providing counterweights for normally urging said cover member to a closed position over the open end of the exhaust pipe; said counterweights being proportioned so as to permit the pressure of exhaust gases in said exhaust pipe to open said cover member for discharge of the gases into the atmosphere when an engine associated therewith is operative; a spring steel member shaped in cross section to generally resemble the letter J and having an upper end of the vertical stem thereof fixedly mounted on said arms adjacent the pivotal mounting thereof and having a lower hook portion thereof extending downwardly and outwardly therefrom; said member being dimensioned and stressed so that normally the outer edge of the lower end of the hook portion thereof slidably engages an inner surface of said clamp means but does not extend below the lower edge of the latcher means and thereby permits the normal opening and closing operations of the cover member; said member being manually distortable so that the hook portion thereof is made to overlap a lower end edge of said clamp means to thereby provide a latching means for retaining said cover member in a closed position over the end of the exhaust pipe.

4. In an engine exhaust pipe fitting for a vertical ex haust pipe; a band-like clamping member disposed around said exhaust pipe proximate an open end thereof and having the opposite end portions of said member extending outwardly therefrom; fastening means fixedly securing the end portions of said band member; a cover member positioned over the open end of the exhaust pipe; bracket means pivotally mounting said cover member for pivotal movement about said clamping member, and including arm means having portions depending below said pivotal mounting providing counterweights operative for normally urging said cover member into a closed position Over the open end of the exhaust pipe; said counterweights being arranged and proportioned so as to permit the pressure of exhaust gases in said exhaust pipe to open said cover member for discharge of the gases into the atmosphere when an internal combination engine associated therewith is operative; a resilient member having a substantially fiat vertical portion with a hooked over lower edge portion extending outwardly therefrom; means mounting the vertical portion of said resilient member on said arm means adjacent the pivotal mounting thereof and at a point above the elevation of the pivotal mounting thereof; said resilient member having the vertical portion thereof provided with a first bend parallel to the upper end edge thereof which bends said member outwardly away from said arm means, and a second bend below said first bend and disposed at an angle to the upper end edge of said member whereby the turned over lower edge portion of said member is brought into parallel alignment with an inner surface of a proximate end portion of the clamping member; said resilient member being dimensioned and stressed so that normally the outer edge of the hooked over lower edge portion thereof slidably engages an inner surface of a proximate end portion of the clamping member but does not extend below the lower edge of said end portion and thereby permits the normal opening and closing operations of the cover member; and having said resilient member manually distortable so that the hooked over lower edge portion thereof is hooked over a lower edge of the proximate end portion of said clamping member to thereby provide interlocking means for retaining said cover member fixedly positioned in a closed relation over the open end of said exhaust pipe.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3/1904 Ryan 292-86 9/1944 Tinnerman 292-87 9/1953 Rowe et al. l6143 5/1961 Stade et al 9859 FOREIGN PATENTS 3/ 1949 Italy.

MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner. EDWARD C. ALLEN, Examiner.

J. R. MOSES, Assistant Examiner. 

2. IN AN ENGINE EXHAUST PIPE FITTING FOR A VERTICAL EXHAUST PIPE; CLAMP MEANS MOUNTED ON THE EXHAUST PIPE PROXIMATE AN OPEN END THEREOF; A COVER MEMBER POSITIONED OVER THE OPEN END OF THE EXHAUST PIPE; BRACKET MEANS PIVOTALLY MOUNTING SAID COVER MEMBER FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT ABOUT SAID CLAMP MEANS AND INCLUDING ARMS HAVING PORTIONS DEPENDING BELOW SAID PIVOTAL MOUNTING PROVIDING COUNTERWEIGHTS FOR NORMALLY URGING SAID COVER MEMBER TO A CLOSED POSITION OVER THE OPEN END OF THE EXHAUST PIPE; SAID COUNTERWEIGHTS BEING PROPORTIONED SO AS TO PERMIT THE PRESSURE OF EXHAUST GASES IN SAID EXHAUST PIPE TO OPEN SAID COVER MEMBER FOR DISCHARGE OF THE GASES INTO THE ATMOSPHERE WHEN AN ENGINE ASSOCIATED THEREWITH IS OPERATIVE; RESILIENT LATCHING MEANS COOPERATIVE BETWEEN SAID ARMS AND SAID CLAMP MEANS AT A POINT PROXIMATE THE PIVOTAL MOUNTING OF THE ARMS AND INCLUDING A RESILIENT 